Johnson Valley, California consists of some of the most unique terrain in the world–terrain that many say only exists in two places: Johnson Valley and Iraq. But it’s also a Mecca for off-road enthusiasts, particularly in early February as the annual King of The Hammers takes over the dry lake bed and the soaring rock structures above.

Whether you’ve been there 10 times or not at all, seeing a King of The Hammers (KOH) race should be on every off-road enthusiast’s bucket list, so much so that “The List” on AOL’s Autoblog dubbed it one of the top 1,001 gearhead things to do before you die. Check it out with Jessi Combs in the drivers seat in this episode of “The List” above.

Jessi Combs is no newcomer to the automotive industry, growing up with gearhead blood and the early goal of being a race car driver. From the start, Combs loved all automobiles, especially of the off-road genre.

This year marked the fifth year that Combs took to Johnson Valley for the annual KOH race, but the first time for her co-driver and “The List” co-host Patrick McIntyre. It was also the first year for the Spec Class, a special class of off-road vehicles commissioned by KOH creator Dave Cole. It was in this class that Combs and McIntyre took to the course.

Qualifying for the pair didn’t go quite as planned, as the Falken Tire Spec Car had fuel pump issues from the start, but with her immense skills, Combs pushed the car through until she knew she shouldn’t go any farther. This left her in the sixth-place qualifying position out of the six class competitors.

Fortunately, race day went a bit better for Combs and her co-driver as they quickly passed others in their class for a great position.

Though some of the other Spec Class competitors were difficult to pass, it was the Falken Tire Spec Car with Combs behind the wheel that eventually took first in the Spec Class–an impressive feat considering all that The Listers had to endure.

This marks the first KOH race that Combs has finished, let alone won in her class. We’ll be bringing you more on Combs’ amazing off-road racing career shortly, but for now, sit back and enjoy the latest on “The List.”